Hosepipe ban

At present, the ban will only apply to domestic use of hosepipes for things like gardening, washing cars and windows, running sprinklers and pressure washers, and filling paddling pools. Businesses and other commercial operations are not affected.

People can still water their gardens if they use a watering can, not a hose, and can still clean their cars, provided they use a bucket.

There will be a small number of exemptions “to protect jobs and livelihoods and the infirm”. People have until April 5 to contact Anglian Water to suggest they should be exempt.

 

In the past I've seen somebody filling a paddling pool on a different part of the lawn every day and pulling the drain plug every every evening.

 

Well there is no ban here in Cumbria and I do feel very sorry for the gardeners who will have to suffer because of their locally imposed bans.

I've been waiting since Christmas to get onto our allotment plot to start digging but it's just been too wet, the older hands at the site tell me they have never known it to be this wet for so long, I've only been able to start digging two days ago.

It's crazy that water cannot be pumped around the country to ease the shortages as any rain we get now on our soaked land will just run-off straight into the rivers and out to sea.

Steve...

 

It hasn't been enshrined in industry regulations yet apparently so they can't use it until then. Can't find when it will be though. To be honest there's so much conflicting information out there it's hard to know what to believe.

Either way when it is/if it is already enshrined you will still be able to fill a watering can from a short length of hose to water the garden with. You can also still wash your car as long as you use a bucket. The ban is literally to prevent the use of hosepipes for these tasks. Here's the list of prohibitions from the act itself. Clearly it's best to check with each carrier what is and isn't to be enforced in each instance of a temporary ban.

76 Temporary bans on use
(1) A water undertaker may prohibit one or more specified uses of water
supplied by it if it thinks that it is experiencing, or may experience, a
serious shortage of water for distribution.
(2) Only the following uses of water may be prohibited—
(a) watering a garden using a hosepipe;
(b) cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe;
(c) watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises
using a hosepipe;
(d) cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe;
(e) filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool;
(f) drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use;
(g) filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe;
(h) filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain;
(i) cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a
hosepipe;
(j) cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe;
(k) cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe.

 

True shiney, governments have had good intentions without delivering despite setting things up to 'do the right thing', it seems that water, precious though it is, somehow not really a priority. Still, I'd prefer it in public hands, at least there would be a possibility of having a say (perhaps I like to dream of a better world where people actually cooperate for the greater good).

In the meantime, I'll keep my butts filled

 

So true shiney, there's only so much anyone can do. Here's hoping you'll get lots of the promised rain for the weekend.

 

I think all this winging is pathetic, and most of the accusations made are based on hearsay and supposition.

Stop droning on about why you think you are hard done by and how you can wiggle around the ban, and why you think you, rather than anyone else, should be some sort of exception.

This is a rare problem - 35 years since the last one. Neither you nor I are going to pay for a solution to a problem that occurs a couple of times during a lifetime.

So ... start posting tips and idea on reducing water and keeping plants alive and start being a good community member and work to save water so that other people, if not you yourself, don't have to endure stand-pipes by the end of the Summer as happened in '76

 

We have had bans in 76, the first I can remember in my life, but another couple at least in the late 80s and early 90s.
True we have not had any for a few years around this area.

As to growing plants and conserving water, you would actually need to change the type of plants you grow, most of the good looking drought wise plants cant stand our winters. Well the ones I think are good looking anyway.

Even so called drought resistant bedding plants wont actually grow if dry, they survive, we grow them in high summer but that's not their normal flowering time in habitat.

Not sure where you go regarding veg?

Even things like sweetcorn need a decent amount of water.

Any ideas?

 

I'll give it my best shot, got a couple of "chores" to do first though ...

 

I read elsewhere that a good thick mulch will keep more moisture ...

or install some form of irrigation (drip feeding etc was discussed here a couple of days ago) ... this may be the best option

it's too late to install water butts if there is going to be a drought shortly .... those will only serve for next year

or you could brew compost tea, and water with that? ... ...legislation does not mention fertilizing? ... and they say you can never over fertilze with this

thats what I will say when they catch me and fine me £1000 .... I will tell them them I'm south african, and English is not my mother tongue


but jokes aside, I doubt that I will allow some of the plants to die in gardens that I have planted .... I have paid for some of them out of my own pocket (Musa Basjoo, T-rex, etc) and these are new to me ... and I know that there are many more who feel likewise ... I get attached to some of the gardens ... if I have to water in the dark, then so be it

luckily, so far, Cambridge can still water normally (from what I read)

 

Spit it out Kristen, don't be shy, say what you really mean

Would it be an idea to start a new thread, say for instance, Water Conservation, Tips and Advice. I could stick it for the duration of the drought if you want?